title: Landfill gas generation after mechanical biological treatment of municipal solid waste. Estimation of gas generation rate constants.
abstract: Mechanical biological treatment (MBT) of residual municipal solid waste (RMSW) was investigated with respect to landfill gas generation. Mechanically treated RMSW was sampled at a full-scale plant and aerobically stabilized for 8 and 15 weeks. Anaerobic tests were performed on the aerobically treated waste (MBTW) in order to estimate the gas generation rate constants (k,y(-1)), the potential gas generation capacity (L(o), Nl/kg) and the amount of gasifiable organic carbon. Experimental results show how MBT allowed for a reduction of the non-methanogenic phase and of the landfill gas generation potential by, respectively, 67% and 83% (8 weeks treatment), 82% and 91% (15 weeks treatment), compared to the raw waste. The amount of gasified organic carbon after 8 weeks and 15 weeks of treatment was equal to 11.01+/-1.25kgC/t(MBTW) and 4.54+/-0.87kgC/t(MBTW), respectively, that is 81% and 93% less than the amount gasified from the raw waste. The values of gas generation rate constants obtained for MBTW anaerobic degradation (0.0347-0.0803y(-1)) resemble those usually reported for the slowly and moderately degradable fractions of raw MSW. Simulations performed using a prediction model support the hypothesis that due to the low production rate, gas production from MBTW landfills is well-suited to a passive management strategy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geoengineering and Environmental Technologies, University of Cagliari, Piazza D'Armi, 09123 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: G De
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Gioannis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muntoni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cappai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milia
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008697:Methane / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D005740:Gases; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D002244:Carbon; D008697:Methane